The Best Italian in Charleston

Here we go!! Welcome to my first blog post for Bites and Sights with Lily!

We are starting out very strong, with my list of all the best Italian food in the Charleston area!

Italian food is my personal favorite cuisine, so it only seemed right to start with this as my first post. If you know me, you know that 90% of the time I go out to eat, you will find me at one of these amazing restaurants. Most of these are nicer, sit down restaurants. I can do a post of quick grabs for pizza and such down the road. But these are true, delicious Italian spots brought to you by some of the best chefs in the country.

And now, here are my top 6 Italian Restaurants in Charleston:

6. Sorelle

As you'll see in my coffee shops post, Sorelle is one of my favorite restaurants here in Charleston, not only for coffee and treats, but a great Italian meal too! Relatively new, Sorelle has done a great job emerging themselves in the Charleston food & Bev scene. They serve authentic Italian food, creative and yummy drinks, and have a great atmosphere in each of the rooms of the restaurant.

The bar area is great for drinks and a few appetizers, where I’d recommend the dining room for full sit down meals. They have a great aperol spritz and delicious and creative appetizers. Their homemade pastas are so fresh and make for a perfect Italian meal!

5. Indaco

Indaco has been a long time favorite of mine! A staple on King Street, Indaco never seems to miss. They have a great happy hour during the week at the bar and some of my favorite pizza in town. Last time I was there, we got the pesto pasta (pictured below) and it was so fresh and yummy. I am a sucker for burrata, and Indaco has one of the best burrata apps in town.

4. Melfi’s

Melfi’s has been a favorite of mine since middle school. Owned by the same people of Leon’s and Little Jacks, Melfi’s is always super consistent. The vibe here is so great, whether you are sitting at the bar, a booth, or on the patio. The service is exceptional and they have great house wine.

While their menu hasn’t changed much over the last few years, pretty much everything on it is delicious. I love starting out with their arancini, seasonal burrata, or their calamari. The stretch Armstrong pizza is their take on a Margherita, with thin crust and clumps of cheese it is perfection. My two pasta go-to’s are the bolognese and Cacio e Pepe.

3. Le Farfalle

Le Farfalle is one of those restaurants that has recently resurfaced on my favorites list. It has been around since 2016 but has always been kind of lowkey for me - at least it used to be. This has quickly risen to the top 3 of not only favorite Italian, but maybe all dinner spots.

Their service is great, the dishes are big portions for a fair price (unlike a lot of places here) and I have never had a bad thing on the menu. My favorite appetizer is their whipped ricotta, served with a warm & fresh baguette. Their caesar salad as well as calamari are also top tier. My favorite entree, their famous crab linguine. This dish is served with such a generous amount of fresh crab and the most delicious butter lemon sauce.

Finally - their espresso martini is definitely a top 5 in Charleston, which says a lot! You truly cannot go wrong with a meal here.

2. Obstinate Daughter

Ahhhh, OD. It’s almost comical how often I am here. I have been going to the Obstinate Daughter religiously since they opened out on Sullivan’s Island years ago. If you are staying downtown, trust me, it is well worth the trip out to Sully’s to have dinner here.

Where to begin… their seasonal cocktails are to die for, and I always go for their tequila one (special shoutout sweater weather). They have fresh oysters, their flatbread with bean dip is perfection, and their homemade pastas and pizzas are the best in town.

For a while, I was getting the radiatore vodka pasta every single time I went to OD, I would occasionally switch it up and get the Miss Carolina pizza, but mostly stuck to the vodka pasta - I think this is the only place I order vodka pasta because it is the only one that is actually better than the one I make myself! I finally decided to switch it up and get the short rib ragu gnocchi, and I haven’t been the same since. Now I typically get the gnocchi and occasionally switch it up with the radiatore!

All that being said, you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu! And be sure to save room to get some fresh gelato downstairs at Beardcats!

Also! Check out their sister restaurant, Wild Olive, on John’s Island - so so good!

1. Costa*

Finally, at number 1, is my beloved Costa. If you read my restaurant spotlight here on Costa, you know how fond I am of this place. Only open for about a year and a half, Costa quickly rose to my go to spot and the top of my restaurant list. I am constantly here, whether it’s sitting at the bar for just a few drinks and apps, or enjoying a full multi-course meal in the dining room. Their servers, bartenders, and managers all know me by name and make me feel like family every time I am there.

Again, you cannot go wrong with anything you order here. All their cocktails are spectacular, they have a great wine list, and Costa is home (IMO) to the best espresso martini in town. Their portions are not huge and everything is made in house and tastes super fresh.

For more in depth on what to order read my full debrief of Costa here